Zack Snyder Lent a Helping Hand on DC’s Peacemaker Show

By Russ Milheim Updated:
John Cena, Peacemaker, Zack Snyder, James Gunn

The wait is over. James Gunn’s Peacemaker is finally here. Following the events of last year's The Suicide Squad, the HBO Max show highlights John Cena’s titular character as he is forced to be a part of yet another world-saving mission. Also joining him on the journey are Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante, Chukwudi Iwuji’s Clemson Murn, Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt, and several more.

The first piece of DCEU content for the year has been received well by critics and fans alike. Many praise how it’s retained the spirit of its predecessor film and that the character study contained within is pulled off extremely well.

Something else people have noted about Peacemaker is how outstanding the fight choreography is. According to the director, audiences have Zack Snyder to thank for that one.

The Zack Snyder Choreography

Peacemaker HBO Max
HBO Max

During a Twitter watch party for the first episode of Peacemaker, the show’s writer and director, James Gunn, revealed an interesting tidbit.

According to the filmmaker, he had “such a great time” with Peacemaker’s stunt coordinator Wayne Daglish, someone who “came recommended to me from Zack Snyder:”

“My friend Wayne Daglish & I had such a great time doing the fight choreography & stunts for PM that I hired him on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Wayne came recommended to me from Zack Snyder (thanks!)”

As for how those connections were made, Gunn stated how Snyder is his friend and that he “asked him what he thought of Wayne before [Gunn] hired him."

The Brutal Peacemaker Fights

The fights on Peacemaker are certainly fun and engaging, so many are likely thrilled to hear that the partnership will be carrying over to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Maybe fans will be in for some more hard-hitting fight sequences than before.

Zack Snyder has a certain visual flair and style that he uses, so if he is a fan of Wayne Daglish's work, then viewers will undoubtedly feel the influences as the show goes on. If the Batman warehouse fight sequence in Batman v Superman is any indication of what's to come, things are bound to remain brutal.

As for John Cena’s solo outing, there are still five more episodes to go in the season. So audiences still likely have plenty more notable action sequences ahead of them.

But what comes after Peacemaker and Vol. 3 for James Gunn? The director claims he’s done with his MCU franchise, but what of DC? A second season of The Suicide Squad spinoff isn’t confirmed, but what has recently been revealed is that Gunn is currently working on another show for Warner Bros. and DC.

As for what it is, no one knows. Given his closeness to the Suicide Squad and its various members, there’s a good chance it could be something related to them. It could alternatively be another obscure character, an area that Gunn seems to love focusing on.

Peacemaker streams weekly every Thursday on HBO Max.

- About The Author: Russ Milheim
Russ Milheim is the Industry Relations Coordinator at The Direct. On top of utilizing his expertise on the many corners of today’s entertainment to cover the latest news and theories, he establishes and maintains communication and relations between the outlet and the many studio and talent representatives.